40 thoughts on “November 3, 2014: So Close”

1. Way to go MN on the coffee diversity!
   Also, Tim Hortons makes a pretty smooth cup. Had some while up in Alberta and was pleasantly surprised. But then, I don't really like coffee all that much...

2. One plus to not bothering to hook up my TV...it's been a pretty quiet election season.
   My understanding, though, was that, even without my blackout, things have been quieter than normal this year.

   1. There are a lot of contentious measures on the ballot this mid-term in North Dakota. The ads here have been absolutely infuriating. I'm voting tomorrow and then expecting to watch the returns and get despondent.

3. Edward Thoma's thoughts on the players announced for consideration by the Veterans Committee, a list that includes three former Twins. Rod Carew is on the committee.

   1. But none of them will demean the standards of the Hall as much as the selections of Andre Dawson, Jim Rice or Bruce Sutter did.

      Wow. Just wow. "Demean"?? Wow.

      I wasn't a Jim Rice advocate, was indifferent on Dawson, and was in favor of Sutter. But none of those guys "demeaned" anything. Good grief.

      1. Yeah.

      2. Thoma regularly ate at my restaurant in Mankato. He's an asshole.

4. Remembering the night Ted Turner managed the Atlanta Braves

5. Sam Fuld writes eloquently about his concussion experience.

   1. excellent piece. Thanks for sharing the link, socal.

   2. Very good article. I think it made me hate football even more.

6. Tom Magliozzi, Popular Co-Host Of NPR's 'Car Talk,' Dies At 77

   1. 🙁

   2. Alzheimer's disease. Such a terrible thing, especially for someone with such a dynamic, glowing personality. I'd worried it was something like this that precipitated their retirement.

      1. Oh, man. It is a sad day.

7. And then there was one: Paul Molitor has been named the new manager of the Twins, only the third manager in 29 seasons.

   1. Also only the third HOF player to be named manager (when he was already enshrined).

      1. going off the top of my head

         'Spoiler'	SelectShow
         Ryne Sandberg and Frank Robinson?

         although only 3 people sounds really low.

         1. 'Spoiler'	SelectShow
            Ryno sounds right. Need another one with multiple years of coaching before getting his first manager job. Frank Robinson was a player-manager with the Indians at the end of his playing career, so not him. .... Ted Williams!

8. In 1989, Wade Boggs posted an 8.4 WAR. He finished 21st in the MVP balloting.

   1. RICKY! Henderson earned 8.6 rWAR that season, and finished 9th.

      The real question is how George Bell's 3.0 rWAR, 788 OPS and 18 HRs/104 RBIs got him 4th.

      1. Even more impressive, I think, is that Pedro Guerrero finished 3rd in the NL voting on the strength of a 1.9 rWAR season.

      2. No kidding. The Blue Jays has a East best 89 wins, so maybe the voters voted for who they felt was the best player on the team (although Fred McGriff had a pretty good year). Could it be defense? To be honest, I dont know a lot about George Bell except he won an MVP and played for the White Sox at the end of his career.

         1. the Crime Dog had a much, much better year at the plate. And nobody ever mistook George Bell for a Gold Glove defender.

            Bell won the 1987 MVP despite not being in the top 5 in rWAR (he was 10th in the AL among position players that year). Alan Trammell arguably should have won it; he was 2nd in rWAR to Boggs (8.2 to 8.3) and 2nd in the voting. On a team that won 98 games to win the AL East. How the hell did he NOT win the MVP that year?

            1. I don't remember why, but I do remember George Bell getting a lot of press in 1987. Off the top of my head, I would say Bell won because Trammell had a lot of really good teammates and Bell had the better HR and RBI numbers.

               1. In 1987, Bell led the league in RBIs and Total Bases, and hit 47 HRs. Other than McGriff, his teammates were pretty mediocre (or worse) at the plate, but the Blue Jays still won 96 games, thanks to leading the league in team ERA.

               2. you KNOW it was the HR and RBI numbers. this was the prehistoric era, minus SABR-tooth tigers

                  I always thought Trammell should have won it that year

                  1. Mark McGwire hit 49 in 1987, he finished 6th.

                     1. in 1987, Bell hit 400/433/727 with 4 HR and 15 RBIs in 13 games against the Yankmes. Do we need any more explanation than that? 😉

            2. Wade Boggs finished 9th that year.
               The voters hated Wade Boggs.

         2. Is there anything about timing? People complain about Morneau's MVP because his year totals were low, but he had an awful start and turned things around concurrent with the turnaround of the team's record.

9. Big Data is coming to the NBA in a big way.

10. Does this mean Jason Bartlett is getting another chance?

    Darren Wolfson ‏@DarrenWolfson
    Told one FA the #MNTwins are already in on: OF Torii Hunter. #asexpected

    1. I vehemently oppose this.

       1. I do too.

          But I suppose the organization is looking for "veteran leadership" or some mumble jumble like that.

       2. I'm against this if for no other reason than this place will be insufferable.

       3. I'm kinda on board with this because it's gonna make so many of youse plotz.

       4. I'm against this because the outfield is already crowded with free cheap players.

    2. Surprised they didn't offer Dougie Baseball a playing contract after they told him he wasn't going to get the manager job.

    3. Better than Jordan Schafer, I suppose.

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